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TAKING TO THE MUTUELS AT WOODBINE. Speculation was lively at Woodbine on the opening day and the outcome left no bitterness with the losers. They knew that their losses had gone elsewhere than into the bookmakers box. and that feeling is one of great strength. It is one basis-of the popularity of the mutuel system, and an important one. Bookmakers are rarely responsible for the downfall of strongly-backed favorites, yet many race-goers think they are and liud consolation after a losing venture in the inutucls in the reflection: "Well, nobody was laying against my horse, anyway." The operation of the machines was naturally more satisfactory than when they were first offered to Woodbine patrons. The crowd is always less in the fall, and there was the experience of the spring operations to go by. with the result that everything went smoothly. The dividends were vastly better for winners than in the spring, and in all cases far ahead of the prices that would have been paid in a ring of bookmakers. Toronto Globe.
